2. The Arch by ConstructLab activated a former mining area in Genk

This selection of articles from the archive of Domusweb collects a series of reflections and projects on public space. In these contexts, the actions of the arts and architecture have often been decisive in redefining the use of a space, bringing it back to its collectivity of reference.

The concept of public space has radically changed in the last decades. The resulting ambiguity emerged from the split between ownership and the use of shared space. The phenomena that have affected the contemporary city, from the privatization of public spaces to the progressive densification of large cities, are among the reasons for this shift. Shared space has assumed a political value over time, often becoming an emblem for the community that has recognized itself in that space and has claimed its right to use. Consequently, this is the privileged terrain in which conflict, negotiation or mediation take place, and therefore the right to the city, to put it in the words of Henri Lefebvre. In these contexts, the arts and architecture played a substantial role in the re-appropriation of the city by its inhabitants and visitors.